India, Aug. 12 -- Assam plans to shrink the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) of the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve from the current stipulated 10 km to 1 km, a decision that has drawn massive condemnation from conservationists and wildlife groups.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the plan on August 8 during a visit to Bokakhat, Assam. He said the state would send a proposal to the centre within two months seeking a tenfold reduction of the eco-sensitive zone.

Kaziranga has never had a final eco-sensitive zone notified, and in the absence of one, the Supreme Court's 2022 order fixes the default at 10 km, a position the Gauhati High Court reaffirmed as recently as March.That default is not a rule specific to Kaziranga; it a...